Semiconductor components, such as packages and BGA devices, are being manufactured with a chip scale outline, and with a higher pin count than conventional plastic or ceramic components. Semiconductor components typically include a substrate, a semiconductor die, and terminal contacts, such as balls, bumps or pins, arranged in an area array, such as a ball grid array (BGA), or a pin grid array (PGA). Semiconductor components can also include an encapsulant which at least partially encapsulates the die and the substrate.
Different methods are employed in the industry for fabricating semiconductor components. One conventional method uses a rigid substrate, such as a reinforced polymer laminate, attached to the die in a chip on board (COB) or a board on chip (BOC) configuration. The substrate includes conductors, such as copper traces, that are wire bonded to the bond pads on the die. The substrate can also include bonding sites in electrical communication with the conductors for mounting the terminal contacts in the required area array.
Another method for fabricating semiconductor components uses a metal leadframe that is attached and wire bonded to the die. The metal leadframe includes leadfingers which include bonding sites for wire bonding wire interconnects to the leadframe. The leadfingers are also typically bent or shaped to form the terminal contacts for the components.
One advantage of metal leadframes is that they are inexpensive to manufacture, and can be used with a variety of conventional packaging equipment, such as wire bonders, die attachers, conveyors and magazines. However, one problem with metal lead frames occurs when wire bonded wires short to bus bars physically and electrically connecting different leadfingers of the lead frames. This problem is compounded by the fine pitch of the wires for chip scale components, and the fine pitch of the wire bonds for the wires.
Another aspect of conventional metal leadframes is that the leadfingers are configured to form the terminal contacts as leads. However, it would be desirable for the leadframe to provide bonding sites for terminal contacts in the form of bumps, balls or pins in an area array, as is conventional for chip scale components.
The present invention is directed to a semiconductor component constructed with a metal leadframe designed to eliminate shorting between the wires and the bus bars on the leadframe. In addition, the metal leadframe is designed to provided bonding sites for attaching bumps, balls or pins in an area array, such as a ball grid array.